Scroll winding and loading method

ABSTRACT

A method for use in a continuous process for winding a photographic web element into a scroll and inserting such scroll into an open-ended double-chambered film cartridge body is disclosed. Winding is facilitated by a winding mechanism that accurately positions the leading end of the element with respect to a winding mandrel from which mandrel a completed scroll is advanced into the cartridge supply chamber a distance sufficient to center the free end of the element with respect to a heat sealing head. A core support member then so positions the cartridge takeup core axially within the cartridge takeup chamber that the core is aligned precisely with the free end of the element for staking thereto by means of the heat sealing head.

United States Patent 1 [11] 3,787,954

Gade et a]. Jan. 29, 1974 [54] SCROLL WINDING AND LOADING 3,457,6277/1969 Napor et a] 29/430 METHOD Primary ExaminerThomas H. Eager [75]Inventors g g: g sgg f zgf fi MacKay Attorney, Agent, or FirmWilliam T.French et a1.

[73] Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company, [57] ABSTRACT Rochester A methodfor use in a continuous process for winding 2 Filed; Man 5 1971 aphotographic web element into a scroll and inserting such scroll into anopen-ended double-chambered film [21] APPL 234,750 cartridge body isdisclosed. Winding is facilitated by a winding mechanism that accuratelypositions the lead- 52 US. Cl. 291430 ing end of the element h pect to awinding man- 5 1 Int. Cl im 1976b drcl from which mandrel a ccmplcrcdscroll i [58] Field of Search. 29/208 D, 429, 200 R, 200 B, vanced intothe Cartridge pp y chamber a distance 29 430 sufficient to center thefree end of the element with respect to a heat sealing head. A coresupport member 5 References Cited then so positions the cartridge takeupcore axially UNITED STATES PATENTS within the cartridge takeup chamberthat the core is 3 220 8 6 l aligned precisely with the free end of theelement for 3 5 2 SG Z: a] staking thereto by means of the heat sealinghead.

l/1968 Napor et al 29/208 D 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIH] M4291974 saw 1 or z SCROLL WINDING AND LOADING METHOD BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the fieldof web winding and especially to apparatus for forming a coreless woundscroll from a photographic element consisting of a photosensitivefilmstrip either alone or in combination with a light impervious backingstrip, which may, for example, be paper. More particularly, theinvention relates to apparatus for loading such a scroll into a filmcartridge supply chamber and for precisely attaching thefree end of thescroll to a cartridge takeup core accord ing to known thermoplastic heatsealing techniques.

2. Description Relative to the Prior Art In the field of cartridgeloading, various techniques are known for use at a work station at whicha photographic element is wound into a scroll, the scroll inserted intoa cartridge supply chamber, and the free end of the element attached toa cartridge takeup core. Such techniques may not, however, be suitablefor use with all film cartridges such as where, for example, thecartridge is relatively small in size and thus requires a relativelycompact work station. In this regard one known technique (US. Pat. No.3,226,816) requires the cartridge takeup core to be conveyed to thespooling work station separate from the cartridge body and then attachedto the scrolled photographic element and inserted into the cartridgebody. In accordance with another known technique (U. S. Pat. No.3,457,627), the core is conveyed to the work station within thecartridge body, but is then removed for attachment to the photographicelement. In either case, such corehandling chores require appropriateapparatus, room for which must be provided at a work station; and suchhandling lengthens the time required for the operation and may affecttime sequencing at other work stations. Furthermore, known techniquesmay not align the photographic element with the film cartridge withsufficient precision: where cartridge tolerances are exacting, say invery small cartridges, such mis-alignment may require increased camerawinding torque to advance the element through the cartridge and may evenrender the cartridge inoperable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that, by cupping a filmcartridge takeup core-by means of a moveable support cup-- -which cupisinsertable into a cartridge takeup chamber, a photographic element maybe attached to the core while the core is in such cartridge chamber.

It has further been found that, by inserting a photographic elementscroll axially into an open-ended film cartridge supply chamber adistance sufficient to align the element with a heat sealing head and bythen positioning the cartridge takeup core axially within the takeupchamber so as to bring the core into coalignment, the photographicelement can be more precisely aligned with and attached to the takeupcore.

In accordance with the subject invention there is provided, at a scrollwinding and loading station, a slotted winding mandrel in combinationwith a moveable web guide which also incorporates means for accuratelycinching the leading end of the photographic web to the winding mandrel.Upon completion of winding, a reciprocable pusher arm operates to slidethe fully wound scroll axially from the mandrel and into a filmcartridge supply chamber, such scroll being thereby advanced apredetermined distance calculated to align the scrolled element with aprepositioned heat sealing head. A reciprocable scroll keeper exertssufficient radially-directed pressure on the periphery of the woundscroll to prevent unscrolling during transfer of the scroll from themandrel to the cartridge and until such time as the free end of thescrolled element is heat sealed to the cartridge takeup core. The heatsealing operation is facilitated by a dual-purpose reciprocable coresupport cup operable to enter the takeup chamber and draw the core intoco-alignment with the scrolled element and the sealing head and tothereafter support the core during the sealing operation.

BRIEF DESQRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS v FIG. I depicts a scroll formingstation including a threader assembly and scroll-winding apparatus.

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 depict a sequence of scroll-winding steps.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the scroll-winding apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 depicts the scroll winding apparatus in relation to a filmcartridge body operable to receive the scroll.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are top views of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 6and depict the method of aligning a film cartridge takeup core withrespect to the free end of a wound scroll.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In its presently preferredembodiment, the invention is cast in the environment of apparatus foruse in loading photographic film into a chambered film cartridge. In atypical cartridge loading apparatus, a strip of photographic film isunwound from a storage roll and then metered to present a measuredlength thereof to a winding mandrel for forming the filmstrip into ascroll. If desired, a strip of light-impervious backing paper may bewound with the film to form an interwound scroll. The above operationsare desirably accomplished in a continuous manner with several stepsbeing carried out concurrently.

The invention has utility in the terminal or scrollforming step of suchan operation as illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein a continuous strip ofbacking paper 11 is fed into a paper guide channel 12 and thence into acommon channel 13. A discrete strip offilm 15 is fed into the commonchannel 13 through a film guide channel 17 for subsequent interwindingof the film l5 and paper 11 about a slotted winding mandrel 19, whichmandrel is disposed proximate the end of the common channel 13. Suitablesets of driving rollers 21 and 23 may be utilized to advance film andpaper together (21) or, when desired, the paper alone (23) toward thewinding mandrel 19. A reciprocable knife 25, which may be of any wellknown type, is provided to sever the continuous paper strip upon thecompletion of winding.

Referring now more particularly to the scroll winding apparatus, thewinding mandrel 19 is (as shown in FIG. 5) supported in a journal 26,and rotatably driven by a suitable drive mechanism 27 which is securedto a baseplate 29. A mandrel-orienting mechanism 31 positions themandrel so that its slot 20 is disposed to receive the paper 11 as shownin FIG. 2. In this regard, the paper 11 and film 15 are guided throughchannel 13 with the leading end of the paper being ahead of the leadingend of the film, as shown in FIG. 2. However, in order to allow room forscroll build-up during winding, the channel 13, as defined by stationarychannel members 33 and 35, terminates some distance above the mandrel19. To provide continued guiding of film and paper to the mandrel 19 apair of moveable guide members 37, 40 are provided. The guide member 37is reciprocably driven by actuator 34 and incorporates a recessed face36 not only to assist in aligning the paper with the slot 20 but also toguide the longitudinal edges of both film and paper, as seen in FIG. 3,thereby to assure that successive convolutions of film and paper arewound in accurate registry. At the conclusion of scroll winding, theguide member 37 is retracted as shown in FIG. 4 to allow removal of thescroll from the mandrel 19 as will be more fully described below.Cooperating with and generally opposing the guide member 37 is the guidemember 40, i.e., the generally planar face of a pivotable arm 39, whichface is so located as to counteract the natural tendency of the paper tocurl predictably to one side rather than follow a linear path. The guidesurface 40 extends from the stationary channel member 35 to the mandrel19 when the guide arm 39 is in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Theguide arm 39 is mounted upon a shaft 38 which is rotatably driven by anactuator 42 (see FIG. to swing the guide arm 39 between itsaforementioned position and an inactive position, such inactive positionbeing shown in FIG. 4.

The guide arm 39 serves an additional function at the commencement ofthe winding operation: When the guide arm 39 is in the position shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, a semicircular cinching notch 41 formed at the distal endof the arm 39 and coterminous with guide member 40 surrounds a portionof the cylindrical mandrel 19 so as to define a semicircular separationspace S having a width as measured radially, substantially equal to thethickness of the paper 11. As the mandrel 19 rotates in the directionshown in FIG. 3, the leading end of the paper 1 l is folded andconformed to the mandrel 19 by the action of the cinching notch 41,whereby the paper is firmly cinched to the mandrel so that scrollwinding may proceed. After the mandrel has rotated through an arc (ofabout 270) sufficient to place the folded-over portion 11 of the paper11 in the nip formed by the mandrel 19 and the incoming paper 11, thearm 39 is swung to the inactive position (shown in FIG. 4) andmaintained in that inactive position until a new winding sequence iscommenced.

As the mandrel 19 continues to rotate, the leading end of the film l5advances and is caught in the formed nip, causing the film and paper tobe wound about the mandrel. A nozzle 42 may advantageously be employedto direct a stream of pressurized fluid, such as air, against theleading end of the film so as to position the film against the face ofthe paper 11 so that entry of the film into the nip is assured.

As continued winding causes the scroll 43 to build in size, the outerconvolution thereof encounters a springmounted pivotable scroll keeper45 which is normally positioned as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Continuedwinding after such encounter gradually displaces keeper 45 to theposition shown in FIG. 4 thereby causing the keeper to exert sufficientresilient force on the scroll to prevent unscrolling at the completionof winding and during transfer of the scroll into the film cartridgesupply chamber. As seen most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 5, the

keeper 45 is attached at its pivot point to a rotatable shaft 47 whichis slidable axially by a suitable actuating mechanism in a manner to bemore fully described below. At its outer end, the keeper arm 45 isattached to 5 pin 50 which is in turn slidably received within aspringloaded block 51 so as to bias the keeper arm 45 into its normalposition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and to provide' the aforementionedresilient force.

Cooperative with the keeper arm 45 is a flat-faced scroll pusher 53. Asshown in FIG. I, the pusher 53 includes a transverse bore 55 operable toclosely receive therewithin the spindle 19. The pusher 53 is attached toa hollow actuator tube 57 concentrically enclosing and slidable withrespect to the keeper actuator shaft 47. After a fully wound scroll 43has been formed and the trailing end of its backing paper 11 has beensevered by the knife 25, a double-acting pusher actuator 59 is actuatedby suitable control means 61 to advance the scroll pusher 53, along themandrel 19, thereby to advance the scroll 43 into a generallycylindrical supply chamber 63 of a pre-positioned film cartridge body65. See FIG. 6.

By virtue of the abutting relationship of the keeper arm 45 and scrollpusher 53, as shown in FIG. 5, when pusher 53 is advanced in the mannerpreviously described, the keeper arm- 45 is advanced along with thepusher 53 to prevent unscrolling of the wound film and paper. When thepusher 53 and keeper 45 are fully extended into the dotted-line positionshown in FIG. 5 (i.e., when the scroll 43 has been transferred from themandrel 19 to the cartridge supply chamber 63) the control means 61causes actuator 59 to retract the pusher 53 to its original position sothat winding of a new scroll may commence immediately. The keeper 45,however, is maintained by the control means 61 and the keeper actuator49, in its extended position until the free end of the paper 1 1 isattached to the car tridge takeup core 67. Upon completion of theattachment function, the keeper 45 is retracted by means of the actuator49 in time to engage the aformentioned new scroll. Adjustable stops 69and 71 are provided to control the extent of forward movement of,respectively, the pusher 53 and the keeper 45.

The above-mentioned attachment of paper II to takeup core 67 isadvantageously accomplished by a heat sealing head 73 connected to asuitable source 79 of electrical energy. Head 73 is mounted on apivotable arm 77, which arm is urged into heat sealing relationship withtakeup core 67 by suitable means such as actuator 78 as shown in FIG. 6.The free paper end, 11", having been previously positioned upon the core67 by means of, for example, a jet of compressed air or other fluid fromthe nozzle 81, may then be heat sealed to the takeup core 67. Since theabove operation is advantageously performed without removing the takeupcore from the cartridge body (and in view of the fact that considerablepressure is exerted on the core by the head 73), a core support 75 isprovided to prevent deformation or flexing of the cartridge, andmovement of the takeup core, during heat staking. The support 75comprises a semi-cylindrical support cup 83 which conforms to the outerperiphery of the core 67 and is sufficiently thin to enter into theannular space between the core 67 and cartridge takeup chamber wall 64.A flat wall 85 closes one end of the support cup and provides a means ofattachment for a slidable support cup actuator rod 87 which isreciprocally driven by an actuator means 89 (see FIG. 5). The interiorof the cup 83 is, by means of a passageway 91, in communication with avacuum source 93.

In accordance with a preferred manner of practicing the invention,precise positioning of the paper 11 on the core 67 is achieved by,first, locating the wound scroll 43 and the core support 75 inpredetermined relationship to the heat-sealing head 73 and,subsequently, bringing the core 67 into alignment with the head 73. Bymeans of the adjustable stop 69 the extent of forward travel of thescroll pusher 53 may be so regulated as to align the longitudinal axis Aof the length of paper 11 (FIG. 6) with the central axis B of theheating head 73. See also FIG. 7A. It should be noted that core 67 isrotatably mounted on a conical spindle 100 carried by body 65. Core 67is, however, not positively affixed to spindle 100, but is instead freeto slide axially with respect thereto. It should also be noted that, atthis point, the cartridge body 65 is so located that the lateral axis Cof the core 67 is not aligned with the axis B, but, as shown somewhatexaggeratedly in FIG. 7A, is deliberately positioned outboard of suchaxis by suitable means, not forming any part of this invention. Theprecise alignment of the core axis C with the heating head axis B isaccomplished by advancing the core support cup 83 to such a position (asregulated by adjustable stop 99) that, when vacuum is applied inresponse to a signal from vacuum control 97 to the vacuum source 93, thecore 67 is moved axially so that its end contacts the core support wall85, thereby aligning the core axis C with the heating head axis B, asshown in FIG. 7B. The core 67 is thus partially withdrawn from thecartridge takeup chamber 66 by means of the vacuum, the arm 77 beingthen pivoted into position to accurately seal the paper 11 to the core67. See FIG. 7B.

The vacuum from source 93 may then be shut off by means of control 97and core support cup 83 may be withdrawn from the takeup chamber. Core67 and scroll 43 may then be slid completely into their respectivechambers and a new winding sequence commenced.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference topreferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variationsand modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

We claim:

1. The method of loading a web into a receptacle having a supplycompartment, a takeup compartment, and a takeup core rotatably housedwithin said takeup compartment and comprising the steps of:

forming said web into a wound scroll having a free web end;

inserting said scroll into said supply compartment;

inserting a support member into said takeup compartment in supportingrelationship with said takeup core;

attaching said free web end to said takeup core while said supportmember is in said supporting relationship with said takeup core; and

withdrawing said support member from said takeup compartment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the additional steps of:

providing means for attaching said free web end to said takeup core;

positioning said scroll within said supply takeup compartment withrespect to said attaching means; and positioning said takeup core withinsaid takeup compartment with respect to said attaching means.

3. The method of loading a photographic web into a photographiccartridge body of the type having means for use in defining a web supplycompartment, a web takeup compartment and a takeup core mounted forrotation about and for movement along anaxis within said takeupcompartment means, said method comprising the steps of:

forming said photographic web into a wound scroll having a free web endextending therefrom; inserting said scroll into said web supplycompartment means of said cartridge body; inserting a support memberinto said takeup compartment means of said cartridge body in supportingrelationship with said takeup core means;

attaching said free web end to said takeup core means while said supportmember is in said supporting relationship with said takeup core means;and

withdrawing said support member from said supporting relationship withsaid takeup core means.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said forming step includes windingsaid web around a mandrel having an axis of rotation and wherein saidinserting step includes the step of effecting relative movement betweensaid mandrel and said scroll along said mandrel axis.

5. The invention of claim 3 wherein said web comprises a photosensitiveweb member and a superimposed backing web member so disposed withrespect to said photosensitive web member as to form said free end ofsaid web when said web is wound into said scroll.

6. The invention of claim 5 including the steps of:

providing means for attaching said free web end to said takeup coremeans;

positioning said scroll within said supply compartment means inpredetermined relationship with respect to said attaching means; and

positioning said takeup core means along its axis of rotation inpredetermined relationship with said-attaching means.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said web has a longitudinal axis andsaid attaching means includes a heating head having a central axis andwherein said scroll positioning step includes aligning said longitudinalweb axis with said heating head axis. v

8. The invention of claim 6 wherein said takeup core means includes alateral axis and wherein said core positioning step includes placingsaid core means lateral axis in co-alignment with said heating head axisand with said longitudinal web axis.

9. The method of loading a photographic web into a photographiccartridge body of the type having means for use in defining web supplyand takeup compartments, a takeup core having an axis of rotation anddisposed within said takeup compartment means, and spindle means formounting said takeup core for rotation about and for movement along saidcore axis, said method comprising the steps of:

forming said photographic-web into a wound scroll having a free web endextending therefrom, providing means for attaching said free web end tosaid takeup core;

inserting a support member into said takeup compartment means insupporting a relationship with said takeup core;

said attaching means; attaching said free web end to said takeup corewhile said support member is in said supporting relationship with saidtakeup core; and i withdrawing said support member from said supportingrelationship with said takeup core.

3.,787 ,95 4 Dated January 29', 197

John N. Gade and James D. MacKay Patent No.

Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-idefitifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as'shown below:

e "Filed March 15, 1971" and In the heading; delet Filed Mar'ch 15,l972--.

insert Signed and sealed this 30th day of July 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

c. MARSHALL DANN McCOY M. GIBSON, JR. Attesting Officer a Commissionerof Patents 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3 ,77 195 Dated January 29, 197 i Patent No.

inventor) John N. Gade and James D. MacKay ppears in theabove-identified patent It is certified that error a hereby corrected asshown below:

and that said Letters Patent are Column 5, line 67, delete "takeup";

Column 6, line 66 ,de1ete "a".

Signed and .s-ealed this 18th: day of June 1971;.

(SEAL) Attest: v

c MARSHALL DANN EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. Attasting Officer Commissioner of"Patents

1. The method of loading a web into a receptacle having a supplycompartment, a takeup compartment, and a takeup core rotatably housedwithin said takeup compartment and comprising the steps of: forming saidweb into a wound scroll having a free web end; inserting said scrollinto said supply compartment; inserting a support member into saidtakeup compartment in supporting relationship with said takeup core;attaching said free web end to said takeup core while said supportmember is in said supporting relationship with said takeup core; andwithdrawing said support member from said takeup compartment.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising the additional steps of: providingmeans for attaching said free web end to said takeup core; positioningsaid scroll within said supply takeup compartment with respect to saidattaching means; and positioning said takeup core within said takeupcompartment with respect to said attaching means.
 3. The method ofloading a photographic web into a photographic cartridge body of thetype having means for use in defining a web supply compartment, a webtakeup compartment and a takeup core mounted for rotation about and formovement along an axis within said takeup compartment means, said methodcomprising the steps of: forming said photographic web into a woundscroll having a free web end extending therefrom; inserting said scrollinto said web supply compartment means of said cartridge body; insertinga support member into said takeup compartment means of said cartridgebody in supporting relationship with said takeup core means; attachingsaid free web end to said takeup core means while said support member isin said supporting relationship with said takeup core means; andwithdrawing said support member from said supporting relationship withsaid takeup core means.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said formingstep includes winding said web around a mandrel having an axis ofrotation and wherein said inserting step includes the step of effectingrelative movement between said mandrel and said scroll along saidmandrel axis.
 5. The invention of claim 3 wherein said web comprises aphotosensitive web member and a superimposed backing web member sodisposed with respect to said photosensitive web member as to form saidfree end of said web when said web is wound into said scroll.
 6. Theinvention of claim 5 including the steps of: providing means forattaching said free web end to said takeup core means; positioning saidscroll within said supply compartment means in predeterminedrelationship with respect to said attaching means; and positioning saidtakeup core means along its axis of rotation in predeterminedrelationship with said attaching means.
 7. The invention of claim 6wherein said web has a longitudinal axis and said attaching meansincludes a heating head having a central axis and wherein said scrollpositioning step includes aligning said longitudinal web axis with saidheating head axis.
 8. The invention of claim 6 wherein said takeup coremeans includes a lateral axis and wherein said core positioning stepincludes placing said core means lateral axis in co-alignment with saidheating head axis and with said longitudinal web axis.
 9. The method ofloading a photographic web into a photographic cartridge body of thetype having means for use in defining web supply and takeupcompartments, a takeup core having an axis of rotation and disposedwithin said takeup compartment means, and spindle means for mountingsaid takeup core for rotation about and for movement along said coreaxis, said method comprising the steps of: forming said photographic webinto a wound scroll having a free web end extending therefrom, providingmeans for attaching said free web end to said takeup core; inserting asupport member into said takeup compartment means in supporting arelationship with said takeup core; inserting said scroll into said websupply compartment means and positioning said scroll and said takeupcore in predetermined relationship with said attaching means; attachingsaid free web end to said takeup core while said support member is insaid supporting relationship with said takeup core; and withdrawing saidsupport member from said supporting relationship with said takeup core.